Conclusion to 1 Peter - an overview
We saw how all that Peter would say to those who had a care for the Lords people would be drawn from the pattern of the Chief Shepherd (5:4):
The Shepherds Cross - that is Calvary
The Shepherds Crook - cf. John 21
The Shepherds Crown - cf. the Mount of Transfiguration
3 pictures that were left to Peter of His Saviour
I think that it is very lovely that Peter concludes his epistle as John concludes his gospel, that with a picture of the Shepherd
I can't but help feel that Peter has taken me on a great Journey:
Commenced with a 'scattered people' (1:1)
Like the nation of Israel of old we were called out of Egypt (1:13) we were girded up as they were in Ex12:11, ready to move out under the blood of the passover lamb: "redeemed not with corruptible things...." (1:18,19)
Peter has taught us this, that we are a:
- Scattered People
- Saved People
Saved by His blood, that blood is:
The Blood of my Salvation - out of sin and out of the world
The Blood of my Separation
Girded up and moving out
Lets never forget that. So many today are keen to grasp the first truth and deny the 2nd - our purpose in this world is not to get on, it is to get through, and the reason lies in the blood of the lamb.
Show me a man, show me a woman, a church that appreciates truly the blood of their Salvation, and I will show you a man / a woman who is marked by true separation (1:15-16).
Might I say this for peace of mind and of soul and spirit, His blood is the blood of your:
Salvation
Separation
Security
That blood is precious
Its precious to me - praise the Lord for that, but I don't think that in 1:19 this is the only idea, for when He came and His blood was shed: "we esteemed Him not stricken, smitten of God and afflicted" (Isa 53)
Ever before His blood was precious to man it was precious to God.
Ever before man appreciated His blood, God appreciated His blood.
My mind goes back to Exodus 12 - the the lamb taken and slain and the blood applied, it was precious blood, precious to the first born in the house, that was true, precious to the family, that also was true, but the blood could only be precious to the first born and to the family because the blood was first precious to God, therein lay the power of the blood: "when I see the blood I will passover you" (Ex12:13)
Herein lies the foundation of my security!
There could be a home in Egypt and the blood was applied in faith, such a home had absolute confidence that everything would work out, but the security of that family did not rest on how much they believed in the blood, nor in how confident they might feel but their security lay in this in what God thought of the blood, in Gods estimation of the blood, "when I see the blood I will passover you" (Ex12:13).
Sanctified People (chp2):
Feeding on Christ (2:2)
Founded upon Christ (2:5)
Fragrance of Christ:
Holy Priesthood (2:5) - serving in the house
Royal Priesthood (2:9) - taking a fragrance of Christ out to a lost world.
I will know His power in so far as I know His holiness!
Suffering People:
Redemptive Sufferings marked Christ (3:18)
Retributive Sufferings mark the ungodly
Righteous Sufferings mark the believer (2:20;3:14;4:13) - in so doing we learn the mind of Christ (4:1)
Such sufferings:
Purge and purify the believers faith (1:7)
Mould the believers character - footsteps (2:21) - such a man or woman is now following the path the master went
Judges and purges sin in the believers flesh (4:1-2)
We commenced such studies 1 year ago; in that time some of you have know what it is to go through the 'fiery trial' (4:12)
The most remarkable thing is not that the trial has come your way but that you have come through the trial.
It was hardly surprising that Shadrach, Meschech and Abednego would be cast into the fire, that was inevitable the moment they refused to bow to the idol, what was remarkable was not the fact that they went into the furnace but the fact that the came out the other side!
That was because there was 1 in the furnace with them "like unto the Son of God."
How can a man / woman ever be preserved through the trial only by virtue of this, that there would be one with them, like unto the Son of God!
Shadrach, Meschech and Abednigo, appreciated this that there was only 1 way through the fiery furnace and that was when, "Christ led them through"
There are maybe some today that now, having been led through the fire of affliction they:
- Walk a little more like Christ - footsteps
Talk a little more like Christ
Faith has brought us a little closer to Christ
Life is a little more like Christ - flesh
Purged a little more!
How is it that a:
Scattered People has become a Saved People and a Sanctified People
and that by way of being a Suffering People.
Is it not by virtue of this that we are a Shepherded People?
Has He not, "fed his flock like a shepherd, gathered the lambs with his arm, and carried [them] in his bosom, [and] gently led those that are with young." (Isa40:11)
How interesting that the Scattered People of Chp1, the Saved People of Chp1, the Sanctified People of Chp2, The Suffering People of Chps 3+4 become the Shepherded People of Chp5.
"I have a Shepherd one I love so well, that He has loved me tongue can never tell, on the Cross He suffered, shed His blood and died..."
The Shepherd has made of one, out of a scattered people, "one fold and one Shepherd" (Jo10:16)
It would be wise, bearing in mind all that we have learned to pay careful head to the closing admonitions of 1 Peter Chp5:
Pattern of the Shepherd
Problems with the Sheep
The Shepherds Cross (v1)
The Shepherds Crook (v2,3)
The Shepherds Crown (v4)
Purpose of Satan
Problems with the Sheep
The sheep are in danger but they don't realise it!
Self willed Sheep (v5)
Sleeping Sheep (v8)
Straying Sheep (v8)
Self willed Sheep (v5)
Isa 53: "all we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned every one to his own way"
Matt 26:33,35: some of us won't be told anything, don't have a teachable spirit, there is a price to pay for that!
The solution to this lies in 1 Peter 5:6.
Sleeping Sheep (v8)
"be vigilant" = "be awake"
A state of spiritual slumber afflicts the sheep
"can ye not watch with me one hour?" (Matt26:40)
Straying Sheep (v8)
Matt26:31 - "smite the shepherd and the sheep shall be scattered"
Matt26:56 - "All the disciples forsook Him and fled"
Matt26:58 - "Peter followed afar off" - does the worlds view of Christ, the unpopularity of Christ, cause us to follow afar off?
Beware: such a self willed sheep (v5), sleeping sheep (v8), straying sheep (v8) can so easily become a swallowed sheep (v8).
It is our "adversary the devil" - "devil" - diabolos - false accuser / slanderer (2:1;3:9)
Wherever the man of God is working the lion won't be afar off: Daniel 6; Ps22; 1Samuel 17.
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